At Summer's End
by clicheusername1234
Summary: Dipper and Mabel don't want to leave Gravity Falls. Desperate to enjoy their last night, they decide to explore the Shack further than they ever had before. However, when they find what's behind the vending machine, things go very wrong. When the twins fall into reality, they will need the help of a new friend to get them home, as well as solve the last mystery of the summer.
1. Full Synopsis

_Chapters of this story will begin after Falling in Reverse ends. This is not a part of the When Gravity Fails series. _

_One year._ That's how long it will be until the world sees the next Gravity Falls episode. For Dawn Hemingway, that means an entire year of deprivation from her favorite thing in the whole world. Plus, she starts school in a day. Dawn just wishes that she could go back to the beginning of summer.

_One day._ That's how much time Dipper and Mabel Pines have before they leave Gravity Falls at the end of the summer. Needless to say, they don't want to go.

_Two months._ That's how long Gideon Gleeful has been in prison. If only he could find a way out, then he could finally get revenge on the Pines family.

_One jump. _That's all it takes for these peoples' lives to be turned upside down. Once that jump is made, the world will never be the same.

This is a story of unbelievable occurrences, unlikely friendships, and ultimate endings. After all, what else would you expect to happen At Summer's End?


	2. The Wishes

**Author's Note: Surprise! As much as I love writing Falling in Reverse, I'm also starting this story. I feel like I kind of need it, and I think some others do too. Enjoy!**

DAWN

"Oh… my… God…" I say, my face white. I cover my mouth to stop myself from crying out. This cannot be happening. But it is.

I look at the computer screen before me and scan the seemingly impossible paragraph for a second time.

_Time for some real talk guys. Its gonna be a LONG FREAKING TIME for season 2. Like in the ballpark of a year dudes. I KNOW! I know._

_Hopefully y'all will love it and agree it was worth the wait. I wish I could give it to you sooner but these things take time man! Such is the cost of quality. Animation is slow._

_I know it sucks dudes. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But I'd rather y'all hear it from me than go insane waiting forever without knowing, cause the never announce this stuff in any official way on networks._

I can't even process this. What the Hell?! I massage my temples and close the browser.

Look, I know I'm being a drama queen. But this show is really, _really _important to me. What show, do you ask? Gravity Falls. Yes, I know it's on Disney channel. Yes, I know it's "for kids". But guess what? It totally isn't! I honestly enjoy this clever, beautifully animated and voiced show more than most popular teen and adult sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory.

Gravity Falls has improved my life so much, it's not even funny. When I'm upset, it's there for me. When I'm really happy, it makes that happiness last longer. I've learned so much both from the show and its creator.

But now, Gravity Falls isn't going to back on the air for _a year_. Do you know how much can happen in year? Especially in the life of a teenage girl such as I. A year ago, I wouldn't be caught dead watching a cartoon, whether I liked it or not. But more on that later.

The point is, I don't know how I'm going to come out of this hiatus with full sanity. Gravity Falls is my rock. As much as I love my friends and theater, Gravity Falls is the one thing I can always expect to be constant, morally correct, and just perfect in every way. And now I'm stranded without it for a whole year. Who knows? Maybe a year from now I won't even like Gravity Falls! Even the thought of that hurts.

And to add onto the eternal nightmare that is my life, school starts tomorrow. Summer's over, and so is Gravity Falls, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I should probably get to bed. Wouldn't want to be too tired for school, wouldn't I? I groan. I can't believe I'm going to _high school_. I feel so old.

I look out my bedroom window and squint my eyes. What's that? I get closer and look at the sky. There! That's one funky- looking star. It's huge, and bright blue. It's not a plane or a helicopter, though. They don't look like this.

I shrug. Do I dare act out the cliché? I believe I do. I look at the star directly, close my eyes, and direct my thoughts towards it.

_I just wish that I could go back to the beginning of summer. Well, maybe not exactly, considering the fact that I've changed a lot since then. But still. I wish I could restart at June, watch new Gravity Falls episodes, and avoid my problems._ Wow, that last one sounds really pathetic. Oh, well.

I sigh and close my curtains. Endless summer? More Gravity Falls?

As if.

MABEL

I sit up in my bed and look around the dark attic. Stan left after saying goodnight about an hour ago. I rub my eyes and stretch.

"Dipper!" I whisper, looking over at my twin's bed. His packed bags lay beside it.

"Are we clear?" he asks, peeking out from underneath the covers. Judging by the soft glow that was formerly coming from his bed, I'm guessing he was reading journal three. Probably trying to find a way out of our predicament.

"Yuperoo." I say, jumping out of bed and smoothing down my nightshirt. I look down at my suitcase, bulging with sweaters, and kick it under the bed. I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow.

You see, my twin brother Dipper and I have spent our entire summer away from home. It's okay, though. Gravity Falls, Oregon is my favorite place on Earth. After a very eventful June, during which we put evil child physic (and professional creeper) Gideon Gleeful in the slammer, the summer was pretty quiet. Just me, Dipper, Candy, and Grenda solving mysteries with the aid of his magical journal (that Stan returned to him after using it to make a bunch of new exhibits for the Shack).

Our summertime caretaker and Great Uncle Stanford, with whom we currently (but not for long) reside, owns and lives in a tourist trap called the Mystery Shack. Here, he sells useless crap (please excuse my language, but it really is appropriate in this situation) to the town idiots.

By the way, if I sound a bit angry, it's because I am. I love this place more than anything (other than Dipper and the rest of my family, of course). I don't want to leave. I don't want to go back to school without Candy and Grenda. At least Dipper has his nerdy friends, I can never fit in. I'm not "cool" enough to hang out with the popular girls, I'm not "bookish" enough to hang out with the smart, reserved girls, and I'm not "sporty" enough to hang out with the gym class crew.

Anyway, enough about my fitting in issues. I usually don't care as much, but the aspect of leaving my beloved town has my whole brain in limbo. I don't know what is real or what is not anymore; am I really quirky and unique, or is this town just rubbing off on me? It's all so confusing.

"Alright, here's the plan," says Dipper, taking out his flashlight. He puts the journal in his vest and flicks the light on.

"That's the normal flashlight, right?" I ask. "Not the growy- shrinky one."

"Yes, Mabel." says Dipper. He cracks a smile. "Where was I?"

"The plan." I say.

"Yeah, the plan." he says. "So, it's our last night in Gravity Falls."

"Boo." I say.

"I second that emotion." says Dipper. "But it is, and there's nothing we can do to stop that. I think that we should spend every last minute of it digging deeper than we ever have into this Shack. We've explored every corner of the town except for our own temporary home. What do you say?"

"I say yes!" I yell. Dipper shushes me. "Sorry." I mumble.

"Okay, good." says Dipper. "First stop, the Gift Shop!"

DIPPER

"This place is creepy after dark." I say, opening the door to the Mystery Shack gift shop for my sister. She walks in and I follow.

"Tell me about it." she says.

"So," I say, looking around. "What _haven't _we examined in here?"

"Well, there's the… wait, no, I've seen that. Or! Or, the… just kidding, I've explored that. There's always the…"

"Mabel." I say, trying to quiet my sister. I look around the Shack and frown.

I love this place so much. Back at home, I was always this weird kid who always had his nose stuck in an action book or video game. Sure, I have friends, but it never felt like they got me entirely. Mabel's different, but she's also my sister.

But, when I'm in Gravity Falls, I _am _the action book or video game! I fought a whole entire giant robot with my bare hands! I solved mysteries daily. I even found a lost president. Where else on Earth can a twelve- year- old boy do _that_? Not Piedmont, California, that's for sure.

So of course I don't want to go home. And Mabel obviously doesn't either. I saw the way she looked at her luggage. The last time I saw her look at something or someone that way was when Pacifica was bullying Grenda and Candy. She was also pretty upset when Mom and Dad told her that she can't bring Waddles home. Don't worry, she eventually convinced them otherwise. Our parents aren't _that _mean.

So, where else is there to explore? What can be our final adventure before going home to boring old school? There's nothing but a bunch of boring old knick- knacks in here, anyway.

_Creak._

"Ohmigosh!" squeaks Mabel, but I put my hand over her mouth.

"Get behind the counter!" I whisper, and we do so. Someone's entering the Shack! I don't dare take a peek. I hear footsteps, and then… beeping. Like, buttons. Wait. Is that the _vending machine?_

After the beeping stops, I hear a really load creaking coming from the same direction. And then, the footsteps are gone.

"What was _that_?" asks Mabel, as we pop our heads above the counter.

"Mabel…" I say, pointing to the "vending machine". In its spot is a huge mechanical door. Well, I guess we found our adventure.

"Woah!" says Mabel. "Who do you think went in there? Stan? Has he known about it this whole time? What's in there, even?"

"Sh! Mabel!" I say. "Let's go in and find out."

"It's kind of dangerous, Dipper…" says Mabel. "But that's good! One last hurrah before our return voyage."

"Let's go." I say, and we step into the weird secret room beyond the vending machine. The door makes a loud noise as it closes shut behind us.

MABEL

"Oooh! Stairs!" I say, looking down. This is so cool! Who knew there was a super secret room underneath the Shack the whole time! I wonder if Stan knows…

"Indeed." says Dipper. We climb down and find yet another open door. It looks like the mysterious person who opened up the chamber also knows how to disarm the security measures. That's great! Or, maybe not. That is yet to be determined.

"Wow!" says Dipper as we enter the cavernous room full of technology. "This is so cool!"

"This is pretty much heaven for you, isn't it Dip?" I ask, sitting down on the cool spinny chair. Aw, there's a picture of Dipstick and I on the desk! I guess Stan _does _know about this place! I can't wait to ask him about it, we can hang out down here all the time-

Wait. I have to go home tomorrow. Not now! Not after this! We just found a huge room full of mysteries, we can't possibly be cut off from this place for a whole _year! _It just isn't fair. I wish there was a way to never see the end of this summer.

"I feel you, sis." says Dipper. I know he's thinking the same thing. It's a twin thing, I suppose.

"Well, we should probably get out of here." I say sadly. "No reason for us to stay."

"Wait! What about the intruder?" asks Dipper.

"It's probably Stan." I say.

"Well, if it is, I want some explanations." says Dipper.

"Okay, fine." I say. "Although, I don't know where he would be. All that's left beyond here is that tiny room over there." I say, pointing to a heavy metal door.

"Well, let's go check it out." says Dipper.

"KK." I say, trying to sound chipper. We open the door and gasp.

"What… is that?" I ask, pointing to the huge, triangular, shiny machine.

"I have no idea." says Dipper. He stomps his foot. "But nobody's in here! I need to know what this is, I need to solve this mystery. I just _can't _go home and revert back into my old self!"

"I don't want to leave either!" I yell at nobody particular. "I wish this summer would last forever."

"Me too." says Dipper. We stand in front of the strange device, savoring our final moment of experiencing the oddities of Gravity Falls.

"Well," says a quiet Southern voice behind us. My heart stops. "Maybe it will."

At with that, Gideon _freaking _Gleeful pushes my brother and I into the machine.

"NOOOOO!"

We fall though the blue, spacey looking center and into darkness. I grab for Dipper's hand and he grabs mine. We fall for what seems like forever, screaming at the top of our lungs.

Our bodies hit ground, and everything goes black.


	3. The Talkative Grandma

DAWN

_RIIINGG!_

"I'm up! I'm up!" I yell, sitting up in bed. I rub my eyes as I look around my bedroom. The sun shines through the sheer curtains and illuminates the butter yellow walls and white furnishings. I pick up my iPod and turn off the alarm.

Well, I guess it's time for school. Ew, even _thinking _that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I press the home button and look at my apps. Maybe a quick game of Temple Run before I rise?

Wait. What the heck?

I look at the calendar icon and squint. It isn't a Saturday, and it isn't the fifth! I touch the icon and pull up the full calendar. Whoah, it's not June!

I quickly go to my settings and attempt to adjust date and time. It doesn't say it's wrong.

I then go to Facebook, and to my surprise everyone is posting statuses about school being over! Okay, what is going on here? I go to my profile and examine it. Wait, my picture is from the beginning of summer! And Kaitlin posted on my timeline "yesterday". Yeah, this is definitely not right. Kaitlin and I haven't talked since July. Although, I suppose July hasn't happened yet?

I should head downstairs and find my parents. What kind of prank is this, anyway? It's just plain mean.

I close the Facebook app and look at my home screen as I get out of bed. Hey look, something else weird. My screensaver has been the Gravity Falls Comic Con poster for a month. How could anyone change it right in front of me? I'm a pretty light sleeper.

This is just too weird. If I didn't know better, I'd say that I traveled back in time to the beginning of summer. Haha, that would make a great story.

But_ no. _This is all one huge joke, isn't it? I'm going to go downstairs and find Mom and Dad in tears from laughter. Funny, I'd never expect them to pull this.

I open my door and run down the stairs. However, where I expect to see my parents I see an empty kitchen.

This can't be happening. Mom and Dad went on a week- long vacation right when school ended.

It makes so much sense…

So, I've traveled back in time. Maybe this is good? I do have a whole other summer to myself now. And I'll get to re- experience all of the Gravity Falls premieres! And I won't have to face high school.

I take the lemonade out of the fridge and pour myself a glass. I guess wishes do come true.

GIDEON

I look triumphantly at the portal into which Mabel and Dipper just fell. They're not my problem anymore, thank God. Now they're _her's_.

Who is her? Well, let me tell you. Two days ago, I was in jail. My heart broken, my spirit crushed. And don't even get me started on how tasteless the orange jumpsuits were.

But then I got a call. The cops led me out of my cell and handed me the receiver.

The conversation pretty much went like this...

BEGIN FLASHBACK

"Hello?" I ask, making sure the guards don't suspect me of anything malicious.

"Are you Gleeful?" asks a cold, female voice on the other line. Yeah, this sounds pretty malicious.

"Yes." I say with dignity.

"Good." says the girl. "I need your help, and in exchange I will break you out of here. Kapeesh?"

"Oh, thank you, grandma." I say. "Tell me more!" The guards instantly relax. They think I'm speaking to a harmless old biddy.

"Nice save. It's nice to know that you're not quite as much of an idiot as I suspected." says the girl. Ouch.

"That's great, _grandma_." I say. "But please, focus."

"Relax, short stack." says the girl. "Alright, here's what I need you to do for me. You know Stanford Pines, right?"

"Indeed I do."

"Well, I need him to do something for me. And he's going to need some kind of motivation. Any ideas?" she asks.

"Hmmm…" I say thoughtfully. "Grandma, I know you care deeply about the twins. I'm sure nobody would try to kidnap them. Honestly, you worry too much!" At the sound of the word 'kidnap', the guards perk up. I shrug and they roll their eyes.

"Good thinking. He has kids?" asks the girl.

"Your niece and nephew are safe too, grandma." I say.

"Ooh. Gotcha." says the girl. "Well, I know what you can do. You know that tourist trap that Stan owns?"

"Yup." I say.

"There's a secret room behind the vending machine. I've got all of the codes and combinations for you. Just lead the twins down there and push them into the portal."

"Wouldn't that be implying that they'd be in another world?" I ask thoughtfully. "And out of my hair?"

Oops. The guards look at me angrily.

"Because Grandma, those new Revlon products you sent me just aren't working. I need something to support the sheer volume of my exquisite locks." I say.

"Nice job, genius." says the girl sarcastically. "I'll give you the codes in a sec, but first you have to know how to break out."

"That is true." I say. The guard taps on his watch. This is a timed call, apparently. "But Grandma, please be quick."

"Oh, I will be." says the girl. "Just find a one- eyed star. I know you have them everywhere in your twisted- ass town. Will it to get you out, and it'll deliver."

"How is that possible?" I ask, looking down at my Tent of Telepathy pin. They let me keep it on my jumpsuit to remind me of home.

"Just do it." says the girl. "And let me know when the twins go through the portal."

"Okay, Grandma." I say, smiling. "Will do."

I hang up the phone and grin at the guard.

"You have one conversational grandmother." he says. I look down at the star pin again, then back at him.

"You have no idea."


	4. That's My Face!

MABEL

_Ow. _

I rub my head and wait for my vision to return to me. My other hand still remains connected to Dipper's. What the heck just happened?

I blink a few times and look over at my brother's direction. He's still unconscious, lying in the moist sand beside me…

Wait, lying in the sand? There's no sand in Gravity Falls! Where are we? What did Gideon push us into? And most importantly, is that a huge wave headed toward my twin and I?

"DIPPER!" I yell, standing up. I lean down and slap him in the face. "Get up, get up, get up!"

"What?" he asks, his eyes opening. "What- what happened?"

"I don't know, but we're on a beach now!" I yell. "And there's a mega- huge- gigantinormous wave headed right towards us!"

"Oh. That's not good." he says, standing up. He looks behind him. "Run!"

We dash towards the dry sand right before the wave crests. Wow, that was close. We could have drowned! Screw you, Gideon.

"Where are we?" asks Dipper, looking around at out strange new location. In front of us are a beach and a rising sun; behind us is an empty boardwalk. Beyond that, we see beach houses and a few shops. It seems to be early morning, probably around seven.

I've been to a beach before, but it's a three- hour drive from Piedmont. And the beaches in California are generally much more industrialized. If I wasn't just sent here through an evil cosmic machine, I would enjoy this place's charm.

"Well, this is nice." I say mildly.

"Are you kidding?" asks Dipper, angrily taking the journal out of his vest. Thank God it didn't get water damaged.

"Yeah." I say, frowning. "Gideon strikes again, screwing up our lives. Isn't he supposed to be in jail, anyway?"

"He is." says Dipper. "But he isn't, which sucks. Come on, let's try to find out where we are exactly."

"Okay." I say. We walk up the wooden stairs onto the boardwalk. I examine the light blue sign.

_Coastal City, New Jersey._

"There are worse places to be, I suppose." I say. I've never been to the East coast, so this could be fun. That is, until we find a way back to Gravity Falls and have to go home.

"This is so weird." says Dipper. "We asked for endless summer, and we got transported to a beach. Why would Gideon be that… nice?"

"I don't know, broseph." I say. "I say we enjoy this before it gets all twisted and we learn valuable life lessons."

"Agreed." says Dipper. "Hey, you wanna get something to eat?"

"No money." I say sadly.

"You're wrong." says Dipper, smiling. "I always keep some cash with me."

"Even when you're in bed?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Mayyybe." says Dipper.

"Wow, you really are related to Stan." I say. We walk along the boardwalk, trying to find a restaurant we can agree on.

"I hate Taco Bell!" I yell, as Dipper suggests we go to the Mexican chain. Something about it just gives me the chills. And the meat never tastes exactly right. Dipper tries to argue.

"Aw, can we please-"

"_No, _Dipstick! And you're not going on your own, either. This isn't 'Dipper goes to Taco Bell', buddy." I say, making air quotes with my fingers.

"Jeez, Mabel." says Dipper. "What about Subway?" He points to the sandwich shop and I shrug.

"Sounds good." I say. "Eat fresh!"

We walk into the shop and order.

"Two kid's turkey subs." I say. Dipper looks at me strangely. "Dude, we just fell into a portal. Who knows what that did to our stomachs?"

"Good point." says Dipper.

"Your total is ten dollars." says the tired- looking guy at the counter. Dipper gives him the money and he gives us our sandwiches in a plastic bag.

"Let's go back outside." I say, and we do so. Dipper and I sit on a bench facing the ocean and take out our sandwiches.

"Oooh! Check it out, we get cute 'lil kids bags!" I say, taking mine out first. Dipper gets his out and gasps. I look down at mine and do the same.

"What the heck?" we yell in unison. I squint my eyes at the yellow bag to make that what I'm seeing is real.

_That's my face. THAT'S MY FACE!_


	5. I Don't Have Highlights

DAWN

Well, this new reality sure is cool. It's summer all over again, and there's even the premiere of The Land Before Swine to look forward to! I sigh happily as I plop down on the couch and look out of the big window in my living room. I see the ocean past a few houses and the boardwalk. Living in Coastal City is fun, especially during summertime.

Look, I know I should feel guilty. This is pretty much the definition of running away from my problems. But I'm just not ready to do something about this yet. I doubt there is anything I could do.

I look down at my phone, which is vibrating. I gasp at the contact name. Kaitlin?

You see, Kaitlin Warner and I used to be best friends. We were pretty popular (her more than me), until I finally told her what I really thought about her bitchy friends. To make a long story short, it didn't go well.

Hmmm, that fight happened in July. So I guess we're still friends? I shiver at the thought. I guess I'll just have to tell her to stop talking to me again. It's not like there were that many perks to being the BFF of the coolest girl in town.

Right?

I read the text. Wow, she wants to hang out on the boardwalk? Cool! Oh, no. I did NOT just get excited. This needs to end before something goes really wrong. I'll just go and tell her off and leave. Come on Dawn, you know it has to happen. Eventually.

I go up to my bedroom and change out of pajamas into a red sundress and brown gladiator sandals. I look myself over in the mirror. Light brown hair, amber- colored eyes, and thin figure. The norm.

I grab my house keys and phone and go outside. I suppose I can walk to the boardwalk and get there on time. I just hope I can handle what's waiting for me there.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

"Dawn! Hey!" says Kaitlin, running towards me and smiling. Smiling. Kaitlin hasn't smiled at me in the longest time. I think this is going to be harder than I thought.

I let my ex- best friend hug me. Wow, I am just now remembering how great it feels to have this kind of best friend. Sure, Kaitlin isn't that bright, and she's kind of a slut, but she's all bubbly and happy and it kind of rubs off on you…

STOP IT, DAWN. STOP IT RIGHT NOW.

"Hi, Kaitlin." I say, detaching. Her blonde hair and over- done makeup look the same way they did last June. Not, like, last year, but… you know what I mean.

"So! Where do you wanna go?" asks Kaitlin. "We should get food."

"Hmm…" I say. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, Beca said something about Starbucks having a new cotton candy Frappuccino…" says Kaitlin. Ugh,Beca. She's basically the epitome of everything I resent in popular girls. Hipster, slutty, always has an insanely expensive camera in her hand even though she doesn't take anything but selfies.

"I already had coffee this morning." I lie. Kaitlin looks surprise. I never argued with her or shot down her ideas. This whole "thinking for myself" thing must be freaking her out a little.

"Oh, that's cool." she says. "How about Subway?"

"Okay." I say. She takes out her iPhone and opens up her Facebook app.

"Uhm, are we going?" I ask.

"One sec. Dylan just chatted me!" she says. Am I supposed to be excited here? Dylan's a sexist jerk who checks out every single chick in the hallway. He tried to hit on me once, and I "accidentally" spilled my drink on him.

"That's… great." I say.

"I'll tell him you're with me!" she says happily. I frown. Like any guy of his popularity would care.

"Okay." I say, shrugging.

"Ooh!" she says a minute later. "He says that you look hot in your profile picture!"

"What?" I ask. Seriously? I'm just me. I'm that weird chick who's addicted to cartoons and writing FanFiction and lost a friendship with one of the coolest girls in school. Wait. No, I'm not. Not yet. Interesting…

"Awesome!" I say. "Wanna go?"

"You bet." says Kaitlin, pocketing her phone in her Hollister shorts. I used to shop in Hollister. In fact, I might have a few pairs of their shorts shoved in the back of my closet… Maybe it's time to take 'em back out?

"It's right there." I say, pointing to chain sandwich joint. Wait. Don't they have those Gravity Falls bags? I never got one before the promotion ended! Well, now's my chance!

Wait, no. That's so embarrassing, especially in front of Kaitlin. Sigh.

We go to the counter and order our respective sandwiches. I sigh as we walk away from the bags and to a table.

Suddenly, I'm curious. I wonder if Kaitlin like Gravity Falls? I started watching it after we had our fight. Maybe if she does, we could make this work…

"Cute bags." I say, looking over at the display.

"The Gravity Falls ones?" asks Kate, biting into her super- healthy sandwich.

"Yeah." I say. "Ever watched it? My sister makes me sometimes."

"I've watched that show." says Kaitlin. Yay!

"What did you think of it?" I ask, getting really excited.

"It sucked." says Kaitlin. My heart drops. "I mean, it's so stupid! And the kid with the sweaters' voice is so annoying."

I try to hide my disappointment.

"Yeah, totally." I say. I look down at my empty tray. "So, where to next?"

"Well, Beca's hanging out at the pier with a few others." says Kaitlin. "Let's go there!"

No, no, no!

"Okay." I say.

MABEL

So, apparently Dipper and I are cartoon characters. That's not weird at all. We've leaked into the "real world" thanks to Gideon, and now we're trapped. At least it's still summer?

"Ooh! A pier!" I say, pointing to the huge ferris wheel on the boardwalk. "Let's go there."

"Mabel, are you not one bit freaked out by the revelation that everything we know is a lie?" asks Dipper.

"I'm super freaked out." I say defensively. "But at this point I just wanna ignore it. So, whaddaya say?"

"I say fine." says Dipper, closing his book. "The pier it is."

We go up to the ticket counter and buy a bunch, thanks to Dipstick's funds. Then we go to the rides!

"Which one do you wanna go on first?" I ask, really excited. I haven't been to an amusement park since last fall!

"Nothing too intense, Mabel…" Dipper says nervously. He hates heights, fast- moving stuff, and water…

So that means the log plumes!

"What, no!" says Dipper when I point to the ride on the map.

"Oh, come on." I say. "You need more spice in your life!"

"I was just transported into a strange alternate universe where my face is on a Subway bag." says Dipper. "I think I have enough 'spice' to last 'till I'm dead."

"Which you will be if you don't come…" I tease.

"Fine." says Dipper.

"Yay!" I say. We navigate our way towards the ride and I grin.

"There it is." says Dipper.

"Get excited, bro!" I say, getting in line behind some teenagers.

"Mabel, that's physically impossible." says Dipper. "This thing looks really unstable. Maybe we shouldn't…"

"It'll be fine, Dipper!" I say, slugging him in the arm.

One of the teenagers turns around to face me. She has light brown hair and wears a red dress. She blinks rapidly as if she can't believe what she's seeing and turns back around.

"How many?" the ride attendant asks the group of teens. The tall, blonde one answers.

"Five!" she says.

"Sorry, you'll have to wait for the next ride." says the attendant. He looks at Dipper and I. "Two?"

"You bet!" I say. Dipper audibly gulps.

"Alright, go ahead." says the attendant. I grin.

"It's go time, sissy!" I say to Dipper. He frowns.

"I'm ecstatic."

DAWN

Hollllyyyyyyyy crap. I did not just see who I think I just saw. Right? RIGHT? I watch the two kids who look exactly like Dipper and Mabel Pines board the log plume and shake my head.

"You okay?" asks Kaitlin.

"Yeah Dawn, you look kinda… sick." says Beca. I roll my eyes.

"I'm fine." I say. Screw you, Beca.

"Yeah, and your hair needs the highlights re- done." says Cameron, one of the other lackeys.

"I never had highlights." I say.

"Oh." says Cameron. Idiot.

"Alright everyone, stop hating on Dawn." says Kaitlin. "She's my best friend, okay?" Awww! Wait, not awww! When the time comes, Kaitlin will choose these bitches over me.

"Yeah." I say half- heartedly. I look back up at the ride and see that Kids- Who- Are- Most- Definitely- Not- Dipper- and- Mabel just went down. They're getting off of the ride, going through the exit…

Whoah. Who is that chick?

A girl my age with strawberry blonde (accent on the strawberry, that stuff is cotton- candy like) is talking to the twins. I can see that behind her back, she's holding… bags?

Holy crap, she's going to kidnap those kids! I have to help.

"Uhm, Dawn, it's time to ride." says Kaitlin. The rest of group looks at me oddly.

"I can't." I say. "I just got… kind of faint. I should probably sit down."

"Okay…" says Beca, obviously thinking that I'm chickening out.

"Bye!" I squeak. I watch them get on the ride and then rush to the twins and the chick. They're behind the ride now. Sketchy.

I hide behind a pole and listen in.

"Who are you, exactly?" asks the Girl- Who- is- Not- Mabel. Wow, her voice is exactly the same.

"My name is Star." says the strange teen.

"That's great." says Boy- Who- is- Not- Dipper. "And now, we'll be-"

"You're not going anywhere." says Star.

"Excuse me?" asks Mabel. Yeah, I've accepted that it's her.

"I'm going to kidnap you guys." Star says simply. Okay, now's a good time…

"I don't think so!" I yell, jumping out of the shadows. I jump in front of Mabel and Dipper.

"Who are you?" asks Star, more amused than angry.

"That's none of your business." I say. "Leave now, or I'm calling the cops."

"Scary." says Star sarcastically. "I'm not threatened."

"Oh, yeah?" I ask. "How about now?"

And then I punch Star in the face. Maybe it was a little too soon, but there was just something really unnerving about this chick. She seems really, really evil. More evil than the drugs consumed my Amanda Bynes. That's pretty evil.

"Let's go, you two!" I yell. Mabel and Dipper follow me. Too bad I run straight into Beca and the rest of the crew.

"You just… you just…" Beca stammers. Kaitlin looks at me like I just killed a puppy.

"I… I gotta go." I say, blushing. Beca rolls her eyes.

"I'll go first." she says. "Let's go, everyone. We should leave Dawn the homicidal murderer to her own devices."

"But I just punched a potential kidnapper!" I yell as they run away.

"Wow." says Mabel. "That sucks. Who are you, anyway? Who was she?" she asks, pointing to the unconscious Star.

"I'm Dawn." I say. "You're Mabel Pines, right?"

"How do you know my name?" asks Mabel. "Have you seen the Subway bags?"

"I wish." I say. "How the Hell are you two in the real world, anyway?"  
"Gideon pushed us into the portal behind Stan's vending machine." says Dipper.

"Ouch." I say.

"How do you know about… us?" asks Mabel. "Why are we cartoons?"

"Because Alex Hirsch wrote you that way?" I ask. "I dunno how any of this is possible. Last night, it was August. Now, it's June. It's been a weird twelve hours."

"It's the same for us, too!" says Dipper. Suddenly, Star begins to stir.

"We should get out of here." says Mabel.

"I agree." says Dipper.

"Let's go back to my place." I say. "We can sort all of this out, and I can show you two FanFiction and Tumblr."

"Come again?" asks Mabel.

"Oh, you two have so much to learn." I say, smiling. "Now, let's get out of here before Star wakes up or Beca brings the mob around."


	6. Into the Mind of Star

**Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short! But I have some stuff to say, so that should make up for it. First of all, which FanFictions do you want Dip and Mabel to see? PM or review your ideas. Second, I'm currently writing a few stories on Ficitonpress that you should totes- deff read! Just search clicheusername1234 and you'll find them. Lastly, school is starting soon, which means I might not be able to update as often. It's sad, I know. But I will continue writing this stuff, just for y'all! And now, take a journey into the head of my favorite villain I've ever written, Star.**

STAR

Do you seriously think that I passed out from a mere punch? Jeez, get a clue, reader. Yeah, I know that you're reading this. This is on a website called FanFiction. You're currently using a computer or iDevice, reading these very words ,and getting your_ mind blown_.

Surprised that I know this much? Well, don't be. I know lots of things, more things than you ever will. And I'm only fourteen!

Let me introduce myself formally. My name is Star Ericson, just Star to you. I live in the beautiful and scenic Coastal City. I attend the local high school during the majority of the year.

Like most girls my age, I enjoy hanging out with my friends. Well, I suppose I would if I had any friends. It's okay, the last thing I need is you feeling sorry for me. Life has so much to offer, that wasting it on social interaction is an absolute waste. I see the pity in you eyes, reader. You shouldn't stare that way, it really is quite unnatractive.

I shake my head and stand up, rubbing my hands on my skirt. Well, I should probably learn more about Dipper and Mabel's strange savior. She looked about my age, lacking self- esteem, and not quite sure about where her life is taking her. I almost feel bad for her, but then I wince from the sharp pain on my cheek. Somehow, I ain't feeling it.

Where to begin? Obviously, the plan needs to be altered. Now that the girl knows about Mabel and Dipper, I'm going to need to convince her to step aside. Yeah, convince. But first, I should find out her name.

"Hi!" I say to the group of teenage girls by the cotton candy stand. I think I saw them talking to her…

"Hello." says the tall, blonde one. The shorter Asian girl behind her smirks.

"What do you want?" she asks, looking me up and down. It's funny, because I've been going to school with Kaitlin and Beca for years. I guess they've never noticed me. Their loss.

"Was was that chick who punched me?" I ask. "Do you know her?"

"Uhm, no-" Kaitlin starts to say, but Beca cuts her off.

"Her name is Dawn Hemingway." she says. Wow, that was easy.

"What's her deal, anyway?" I ask. Beca shrugs.

"I have no idea. She's super weird, though."

"No duh." I say. "Well, I should be going." I wait for no response, and walk away. I've got what I want. Now it's time to find Dawn Hemingway, and take back what's mine.


	7. The Calling Card

DAWN

"Is that us… on your walls?" asks Mabel as she, Dipper, and I step into my bedroom. I look at the Gravity Falls Comic Con poster and blush.

"Well, yeah…" I say. "Before an hour ago, I was under the impression that you two didn't actually exist."

"We exist!" says Mabel.

"Or else we wouldn't be standing here right now." says Dipper. I roll my eyes.

"Well, obviously." I say. "But the real question is _how _you got here."

"We already told you!" says Mabel, sitting down on my bed. "There was a portal, and Gideon…"

"But why _here?_" I ask. "I can't help but wonder if that Star chick has something to do with it."

"I guess that's possible." says Dipper.

"At this point, I'd believe anything." I say. I walk over to my laptop and power it on.

"What are you doing?" asks Mabel.

"I'm going to re-watch the footage involving Stan's machine." I say. "Maybe it will give us some clues…"

"Man, I still need to get used to the whole 'our lives are being recorded for others' entertainment' thing." says Dipper. "It's really creepy."

"Dipper, please." says Mabel. "I feel like such a superstar!"

"Ugh, would you both just be quiet for five minutes?" I ask, massaging my temples. This day has been way too exciting for me to process.

I log into my account and open up my web browser. I should probably check FanFiction and Tumblr before I research. I type in the address and examine the newly updated Gravity Falls stories. Nothing special today, but wouldn't be funny if Mabel and Dipper read them? Oh wait, yes it would.

"Come over here!" I say, motioning the kids over. "Read this."

"Read what?" asks Mabel.

"It's a story. About you two." I say.

"Cool!" says Mabel. Dipper looks really, really creeped out, but still skims the screen's contents.

"Wow! This is so oddly frightening but also sooo good!" says Mabel. She looks up from Gravity Calls Back and at me. "Can we read more?"

"Can we not?" asks Dipper.

"Hey, I happen to like those stories." I say.

"They're not modeled after _you_." says Dipper.

"For all you know, there could be a FanFiction modeled after you right this second and you wouldn't even know it." I say.

"Ugh, you win." says Dipper. I proceed to show the twins a few other favorites: 618, Meow, and It Runs in the Family.

"These are awesome!" says Mabel. "Although I don't understand all the love for Gideon."

"And they're excellently written." says Dipper. "Even if I die a few times."

"Yeah, sorry about that." says Mabel, elbowing her brother in the ribs.

"Alright, enough of that." I say, satisfied by their response. Next I open up YouTube and find the ending of Gideon Rises.

"Hey, look!" says Dipper as the clip plays. "It's the Shack!"

"But it looks… cartoony." says Mabel. "That is so weird."

"Whoah, Stan looks different." says Dipper, mystified by the cartoon version of his universe.

"And he _does _know about the secret room! Dipper, he didn't even tell us!" says Mabel angrily.

"Hey, hey." I say. "Calm down, I need to concentrate on this."

"Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of betrayal." says Dipper.

"Oh, shut up." I say. I watch the scene in which Stan reveals his secret room and pause.

"Ah- ha!" I yell, pointing at the screen.

"What is it?" asks Dipper.

"There's a tiny card on Stan's desk." I say. "One that wasn't there before." On it, is a picture of… a star? Wait, that's the star from the Tent of Telepathy!

"Ugh, Gideon's calling card." says Mabel.

"Not necessarily." I say. "It could be _Star's_…"

"What if they're working together?" asks Dipper.

"Hmm, I never thought of that." I say. I would make sense… Gideon pushes the twins into the portal, Star (unsuccessfully) kidnaps them… of course, that would mean two things: Star's still after Mabel and Dipper, and I'm in the line of fire. What does she want with them, anyway?

"That's gotta be it, then." says Mabel. "Gideon plants the card to let Star know that the deed is done. Wait, how does he know about the whole 'TV- show' thing?"

"She probably told him." I say. "But how did she do _that_? God, this is confusing."

"We'll figure it out. Eventually." says Dipper. "In the meantime, maybe we should just… relax. I'm in no rush to be back in Gravity Falls, since we're leaving tomorrow. Well, not tomorrow, but you know what I mean."

"And I'm in no rush to reset the timeline." I say. "I do kind of have a summer do- over, don't I?"

"Pretty much." says Mabel. "So whaddaya say? Ditch the investigation for the night and go party on the boardwalk?"

"I have nothing better to do, now that Kaitlin saw me punch Star." I say. "There goes one friend."

"She was gonna ditch you anyway, right?" asks Mabel.

"I never told you that." I say.

"I gathered." she explains. "You looked so sadly at her. There's gotta be history there."

"Yeah. There is." I say. "But I don't want to talk about it at length."

"I understand." says Dipper.

"Me too." says Mabel. "Dipper and I are going to lose a lot soon. It's scary."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, leaving Gravity Falls is going to be like leaving an entire piece of us." says Dipper. "We both love the town so much, and all of its occupants."

"In Gravity Falls, I learned how to love myself and accept who I am." says Mabel. "I also learned not to trust strange boys, and not to lead creepy ones on. I learned that it's okay to be silly, and that if you love something, you should set it free."

"And I became the action hero that I've always read about." says Dipper. "I became Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Alex Rider. I got to solve mysteries about magic and supernatural forces. I got to fight a freaking robot!"

"I know." I say quietly. "Trust me, Gravity Falls has affected me a lot too."

"We do." says Mabel.

"So," says Dipper. "Where are we going tonight?"

"Well, my parents aren't home, and I live five minutes from the boardwalk." I say. "I heard that there's a cookout party tonight, how about we go there?"

"Sounds awesome!" says Mabel. "As long as there's no pig roast."

"I'm in." says Dipper.

"Good." I say. I close my laptop and smile. "It's time to make _this_ summer count."

SKY

I smile as I watch Mabel, Dipper, and Dawn exit the house. So, they're headed towards the boardwalk? Good, it'll be crowded there. It'll be easy to snatch the twins while little Dawnie is distracted. Now I just need a distraction…

I grin as I see Kaitlin, Beca, and the rest headed in the same direction. Bingo.

Distraction found.


	8. Savage Seabirds

DAWN

"Well, here we are. A barbeque on the boardwalk." I say, gesturing towards the crowded outdoor party scene. "You guys ready for this?"

"I was _born _ready." says Mabel, taking out a fork and a knife.

"Calm down, there." says Dipper.

"It's okay." I say, looking at the crowd of people headed towards us. "We may need them."

"Why, hello there!" says Beca condescendingly. Kaitlin and the rest of her cronies stand behind her.

"We should go." I say. I blush and begin to turn away.

"Hey, you!" yells Mabel. I cringe and turn back. Mabel has walked up to Beca intimidatingly.

"Uhm, yes?" asks Beca.

"Don't mess with Dawn. She's cooler, smarter, and prettier than you'll ever _dream _about being." says Mabel. Crap.

"And she also hangs out with a bunch of little kids." scoffs Beca. "Why don't you go back to watching Disney Channel and sucking you itty bitty thumb, hon?"

"Why don't _you _look out?" asks Mabel, grinning calmly.

"What?" asks Beca. Suddenly, a rogue seagull crashes into the back of her head. She and the rest of her gang run around screaming while all Mabel, Dipper, and I can do is laugh. It probably took her three hours to do her hair, and one crazy seabird screwed it all up for her. Nothing more satisfying has ever happened to me.

"Thanks." I say, high- fiving Mabel. "We should probably get lost in the crowd so she doesn't come after us."

"With what?" asks Dipper. "Her razor- sharp wit?" I approve of this usage of sarcasm.

"Good point." I say. "Ooh! I smell burgers!"

"They're calling me…" says Mabel. The three of us head towards the beach.

STAR

I grin as I watch Beca get attacked by a savage seagull. I can't say I'm not pleased, even if it does stall the plan. It's fine, this will just give her more motivation to go after Dawn. Once my new little enemy is distracted, I'll be able to kidnap the twins. Hopefully, this time I can avoid any punching.

I lift up my sunglasses and watch Dawn, Mabel, and Dipper head towards the burger grill. I look back over to Beca and her buds to see that the gull has left. Beca now looks like a very agitated cavewoman, while the other girls just look really confused. Good. Confusion equals chaos, and I'm going to need a lot of that to pull this off.

I guess you're wondering how I got that idiot Gideon to push the Pines twins into my world in the first place. Well, that is an excellent question. One that won't be answered this evening. Don't worry kids, all will be revealed soon. And plus, knowing everything just makes reading so much more boring.

"There isn't any ham in this, right?" I overhear Mabel asking the guy manning the grill.

"Uhm, I don't think so…" he says.

"Good enough for me!" she says, plopping a burger onto her bun. I watch Dawn and Dipper follow suit. They grab some chips and walk towards me. They don't recognize me, right?

I exhale as they sit a few tables away from me. Thank God.

Who is this Dawn chick, anyway? I know _of _her. She goes to my school. But we've never talked or anything. I remember her being pretty popular, and best friends with Kaitlin. She was never mean to anyone, but she still hung onto all of that superficial stuff.

Well, I guess she had a mid- life crisis or something. Except, you know, she's a teenager.

But why did she rescue Mabel and Dipper specifically? How did she know their names prior to their introduction? I listened in on their first meeting (while pretending to be unconscious), but it's still confusing as to how she knew about Gravity Falls.

Maybe she's a super fan of the show. I suppose it's possible. But, honestly, popular girl turned social outcast Dawn Hemingway is the _last_ person I'd expect to have an undying love for a cartoon on Disney.

"Hey! You!" barks Beca angrily. I watch her push a few party- goers aside to get to Dawn. Dawn frowns and Dipper rolls his eyes.

"Uhm, yes?" asks Dawn quietly. That's my cue. I get up and sneak towards the twins, sitting at the opposite side of the table.

"You bitch!" yells Beca, but I'm tuning her ranting out. I take a deep breath, hope that this disguise works, and tap on Mabel's back.

"Hey, do you want some ice cream?" I whisper. "It looks like that fight is gonna get rough. Maybe you two wanna come visit my stand?"

"Uhm, where is it?" asks Mabel suspiciously.

"Oh, it's part of the party." I say. "It's the closest to the beach."

"STOP PULLING MY HAIR!" I hear Dawn yell. Dipper looks over at the fight and grimaces.

"Yeah, we'll come." he says.

"I'm in." says Mabel.

"Cool!" I say. "Just follow me." The twins get up and follow me through the party towards the beach. We walk until we're out of sight. Perfect.

"Hey, wait a second." says Mabel, stopping. "There's no ice cream stand here."

"We should go…" says Dipper, and the twins turn to run.

"Yeah, I don't think so." I say, returning to my normal speech patterns. I grab the backs of their shirts. "Here's how this is going to go," I say. "I'm going to take you two back to my place, and you're going to help me make a deal with your great uncle. Kapeesh?"

"We'll scream!" says Mabel. "I'll do it now!" She opens her mouth, but I cover it.

"You could theoretically, couldn't you?" I ask. "But here's the thing. I'm the only way you two are ever going to get home. Dawn isn't. And, plus, I'm not really giving you a choice here."

"Well, how are you getting us to your house without raising alarm or suspicion?" asks Dipper.

"Oh, that's the fun part." I say. I look down at my star necklace and smile. "Power of The Star, I summon you. I enlist your mighty forces to transport myself and the two children home."

"What the-" Mabel begins to ask, but she is cut off. The three of us are enveloped in swirling silver winds, so bright that I close my eyes. When I open them, I see Mabel and Dipper on my bedroom floor, unconscious. I guess it's harder for first- time travelers.

I smile. Everything is going according to plan.


	9. Star is Not Who She Seems

DAWN

Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap. I lost Mabel and Dipper! After getting Beca off of me, I realized that the kids were gone. Man, I feel like one of those terrible teen moms!

Where could they have gone? Who could have taken them?

Oh.

_CRAP!_

That freakin' Star, always messing my life up. I duck behind a grill and sneak off of the boardwalk. Okay, so where does Star live? I have no idea. I decide to head back home and look it up on the internet. The internet always knows everything.

I hope.

MABEL

"Why do we always get knocked out?" I ask angrily, gaining consciousness. I look around me and see an average- looking bedroom fit for a teenage girl. But which teenage girl…?

"Star! She kidnapped us!" yells Dipper, who is lying on the ground beside me.

"You're right!" I say, standing up. I help my brother up and we run towards the locked door. I ram my body against it, but nothing happens.

"Figures." I mumble. Meanwhile, Dipper's over in the corner having a panic attack.

"How are we… what does she… what happened to Dawn…" he says, almost rolling back and forth. I roll my eyes.

"Chill out, Dip." I say. "Star has to come in here eventually. And when she does, we'll be prepared. We'll beat _her _up and get out of here!" I say, getting more confident with each word I utter. Dipper slowly gets up.

"Okay." he says quietly.

Suddenly, we hear a loud knocking on the door. That's our cue.

DAWN

"Star… Ericson…" I say as I type the same name into Google. I press "search" and watch the results roll in. Ugh, there's something about our school, a few pictures of her, a picture of the Gravity Falls logo… wait, _what?_

I click the logo and wait for the site to load. I gasp.

"Oh my god."

MABEL

"Uhm, come in!" I say. I hear Star laugh, but not happily. It's a dry, evil laugh.

"Don't mind if I do." she says. She opens the door a little, slips through, and locks it behind her. Of course, Dipper and I charge towards her with our fists raised.

"Hey! Relax!" says Star, stepping back. She takes two juice boxes out from behind her back. "I was just going to give you some juice. It's not Pitt Cola, but it's close enough.

"What?" I ask, cocking my head. "You don't know about Pitt Cola!"

"Sure I do." says Star cooly. "So, you guys want?"

"Ugh, fine." I say slowly. Dipper and I take the drinks.

"So, you guys like TV?" asks Star conversationally, motioning to the television. "I can put something on."

"Uhm…" I say. "You just _kidnapped_ us."

"I wouldn't call it _kidnapping_." says Star thoughtfully. "You guys were here for _me _anyway, not for Dawn."

"Come again?" I ask, utterly confused.

"My goodness, are you dull!" says Star. "I asked Gideon to push you two into Stan's portal so I could collect you and use you to get Stan to do my bidding!"

"Ugh, Gideon." says Dipper.

"I agree." says Star. "He really is an idiot."

"But… how?" I ask. "How did you contact him? Why would you want _us _specifically?"

"Because Stan loves you two more than anything." says Star. Then, she smiles at us. Like, really smiles.

"And, besides. _I'm a huge fan._"

DAWN

_STAR'S BLOG: THE #1 FANBLOG (AND #1 FAN) OF GRAVITY FALLS._

I stare confusedly at the Tumblr address. This whole time, I thought Star hated Gravity Falls, or didn't know about it! I was so wrong.

Star, just as she claims, is a bigger fan than _I _am. She's _too big _of a fan. On so many levels. I mean, she has next to no friends. Now I know why. She probably spends every living minute on the computer.

And Mabel and Dipper! She didn't kidnap them because she hates them, she kidnapped them because she likes them _too much_, along with the rest of the show! What the heck is she going to do with them? Lock them in her basement? _Or_ she could be giving them juice boxes and offering free cable.

I'm being sarcastic.

But what am I going to do? I have to save the kids before something really bad happens. Well, something worse.

I look at the screen determinedly. I can find her house. I'm sure of it.

I grab the mouse and get to work.

STAR

So you've figured it out, eh reader? It took you long enough. In case you're confused (or you're just an idiot), here's the full story:

Let's go back to last year. You see a younger Star, alone and insecure. Her friends left her and despite her straight A's, she hates school. Her wealthy, successful parents have pressured to her too hard. She has to stop pushing herself so much eventually.

One day, Star sees a show on TV. It's called Gravity Falls. Star, AKA I, fall in love with it.

One year later, I have a super successful fanblog and, of course, multi- dimensional powers.

_How _did said powers come to be? I'll never tell. Let's just say that when you aquire the level of fandom that I have, you learn things. _Magical _things.

So, as you can guess, I used the powers (which stem from stars) to contact Gideon in jail. He got out and pushed Mabel and Dipper into this reality. But, of course, before I could collect them, Dawn had to get in the way.

But it's okay, I have the kids now. They currently are watching Gravity Falls, mystified by their cartoon- ized world.

And how am I going to use them? Here comes the good part.

As all Gravity Falls fans know, we're in store for a year- long hiatus. I'll say it again: _a year- long hiatus_.

Long story short, it really, REALLY sucks.

But, as I said before, I know things. For example, I know that Stan's machine, the very same one that Mabel and Dipper fell through, can fix that. You see, Stan runs the show with the machine. Alex Hirsch is just a cover- up for the real creator.

This machine makes everyone do their thing, and it also releases the episodes. However, it can only work for so long. The time during which the machine is recharging is called a hiatus.

Here's my theory: Stan can totally get this machine to work without a hiatus. I know he can. It may screw up some stuff, overwork the characters a 'lil, but whatever! I need my Gravity Falls!

So I'm going to ring up Stan, show him Mabel and Dipper, and only let them go when he agrees to get that damn machine to work. And then there will be no year- long hiatus. There won't even be a _week- long _hiatus! Just non- stop Gravity Falls, for forever and ever.

What's so evil about that?

**Author's Note: Hi! I'm back! My first week of high school was great, and my wifi's back! I'm in the advanced choir (we're singing at a baseball game tomorrow), and in our school's production of Our Town. It's busy, but awesome. Don't worry, I'll still make time for y'all, as well as my original story, The Vendits. It's a must- read, I'm even going to use a character from it in one of my other GF fics. So go read it! And thanks for sticking with me. More coming soon, and don't forget to review.**


	10. Dawn to the Rescue! Or Not?

DAWN

So, just to recap:

Star _doesn't _hate Gravity Falls, nor is she a crazy axe murderer (or at least I don't think so). Instead, she's a mega- huge fan of the show, which somehow inspired her to kidnap the characters from their own dimension?!

Yeah, I'm pretty confused, too.

But never mind my confusion. I've got places to be! I grin as I pinpoint Star's house on Google Earth and jot down the address.

"4… Birch… Lane…" I read out loud as I write. Change the "r" to a "t", and the address would be perfectly suited to Star.

I grab my phone and a jacket and head outside. It turns out that Star doesn't live very far from me; just a couple block away, actually. How convenient.

"Sit tight, Mabel and Dipper." I say, shutting my front door behind me. "I'm coming for you."

MABEL

"This has been a really weird day." I say to Dipper, who sits beside me in Star's bedroom.

"Agreed." he says. "But at least we get juice."

"At least we get juice." I say, nodding my head.

Star hasn't come back into the room since she dropped the bomb about her fandom to Gravity Falls (wow, that sounds weird). I wonder what she's doing. Probably setting up a trap for Dawn or something. Speaking of Dawn…

"You came!" I yell, but put my hand over my mouth. Dawn herself knocks on Star's small window lightly. She's wearing the same clothes, but she looks panicked and a little bit crazed.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" I ask Dipper. "Let her in!"

"Uhm, shouldn't we be the ones getting _out_?" asks Dipper.

"Good point." I say.

Dipper pulls on the window, but it doesn't open.

"It's locked!" I yell.

Dawn shushes me through the window, but it's too late.

"What is going on in here?" asks Star, bursting into her bedroom. Dawn tries to duck down, but it's too late. "Nice try." says Star, smirking. She takes a key out of her back pocket and opens up the window, standing between it and us. She looks out to Dawn, who still stands in her bushes.

"Can I help you?" asks Star.

"Just watching." says Dawn tensely.

"Oh sure, you were." says Star. "Put your fist down. You aren't punching me again."

"It was worth a shot." says Dawn.

"So, what are you waiting for?" asks Star, her patience dwindling. "Get off of my property!"

"I totally would, but you kinda kidnapped a few kids, and I'm pretty sure they want out." says Dawn.

"I'm pretty sure you should _leave_." says Star coldly.

"Well, I'm not going to until Mabel and Dipper are freed." says Dawn. Yes! You go, Dawn!

"You're gonna have a pretty long wait, then." says Star. "Would you like to come in?"

"Uhm, sure?" says Dawn, a bit taken aback. Dipper and I raise our eyebrows at the same time. It's a twin thing.

"Great." says Star, with tons of sarcasm. She stands aside and lets Dawn climb into her bedroom through the window.

"Okay, so I'm confused." I say. "What the heck is going on?"

"Star's evil but also likes Gravity Falls and ohmigod you guys are you okay?" Dawn says quickly, giving us a hug. Star rolls her eyes.

"They already know that." she says. "I'm surprised that _you _were clever enough to figure it out yourself."

"I'm just full of surprises." Dawn deadpans. "Now can you _please _just lay out what you're doing? Seriously, your taunty- teasy secrecy is getting old."

"Sure." says Star. She locks the window and I frown. I was already planning to climb out of there! I guess I can't, now. "If you kids will excuse Dawn and I, I do believe that we have some things to discuss in the kitchen."

"Be careful, Dawn." says Dipper.

"Don't worry about me." says Dawn. "She may be insane, but she's not a murderer."

"I'm standing right here." says Star in a singsong voice. She opens the door a crack and pushes Dawn through it. Star follows, and then closes the door. Before either Dipper or I could reach for the knob, it locks.

"I'm pretty sure we should be doing something right now." I say ten minutes later, sitting on the carpet next to Dipper.

"There's nothing we _can _do." he says, sighing.

"Yeah, you're ri- LOOK!" I yell, pointing under Star's bed.

Dipper and I run over to it and I stick my hand under, grabbing the sparkly object.

"Star's necklace!" I say, proudly holding up the star- shaped magical item.

"She must have dropped it on the way to the window!" says Dipper. I ogle the pretty pendant before it is ripped out of my hands.

"Mabel, this is our way out." says Dipper. "We can go and get help with the teleportation powers."

"Awesome." I say, high- fiving my brother. "Let's do this!"

DAWN

"Let's do this." says Star calmly, placing an iced coffee on the table. I sit down and take a sip, and she sits across from me.

Star's kitchen is very typical beach- house- style, with white wood and seashell knickknacks everywhere. It's weird to see that such a crazy person came from such a charming house.

"What's with all the formality?" I ask. "And, wait. Where are your parents?"

"Business trip. As usual." Star stiffly says.

"My parents are away half of the time, too." I say. Wait. Did I just have a connection with Star? I take it back! Even if it is totally true…

"Yeah." says Star. "Anyway, I bet you're wondering what's-"

"Your plan, or whatever. Just spit it out already." I say.

"Fine." says Star. "You already know that I like Gravity Falls, and I know that you like Gravity Falls."

"Those are true facts." I say mildly.

"Well, what would you say if I told you there was a way to shorten the one- year hiatus that is among us?" asks Star.

Wait, seriously?

"I'd say tell me more." I say evenly.

"You see, the whole reason I borrowed the twins from the show was because I believe that they're the key to removing the hiatus." says Star. Borrowed? More like _stole. _Wait, what did she just say?

"Removing? Like, completely?" I ask.

"Yup." says Star proudly. "I'm going to call up Stan later, tell him that I'm holding the twins hostage, and force him to use his machine to start up new episodes in the next week. How is that evil?"

"As awesome as that sounds," I say carefully, "there has to be some kind of catch, or Disney would already be doing it."

"Well, sure the characters may get a little overworked, but that's all I know of…" says Star.

This is so wrong. As much as I'd love new episodes of Gravity Falls, damaging the balance of the show itself is not right. I now _know _Dipper and Mabel. I don't want them to be abused!

"I know it takes some warming up to, but I think that you could really help me, Dawn." says Star. "Just think of it. You won't be going into high school alone, you'll have Gravity Falls with you! The whole Gravity Falls community will love you for bringing the show back.

I bet there has been sometime in the last couple of weeks when you've wished for a reason to keep going in life- be it endless summer or Gravity Falls, or both! And now that wish is looking you in the eyes. I think the real question is, are you going to reap the benefits?"

I pause. I stir my coffee with the straw as Star stares at me almost hungrily.

"Yes." I say. "I'll help you."

"Good." says Star. "You've made the right choice."


End file.
